Love's Power
by Bottled Beauty
Summary: In Harry's 7th year, a new Gryffindor girl comes and Harry is asked to escort her through the school. Harry learns that she is incredibly gorgeous and starts to fall in love with her, but Draco has also taken an interest in her...


Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters. Those characters are the rightful property of author J.K. Rowling, and I do not claim ownership to them. The original characters mentioned, however, are my property, and I would appreciate it if no one were to steal them and use them in their own writings without my consent. If anyone were to be interested in writing a collaboration story using my characters, or just to gain experience writing with another writer, feel free to contact me through e-mail.  
  
Harry lay on his old bed, his feet protruding off the end of it because he'd grown so much since Uncle Vernon had stuffed him in the tiny room in fear of his growing knowledge of magic.  
  
Tap, tap-a tap tap, at the window. One eyelid flipped open, the emerald green orb which it covered rolling in a circle in search of the source of the tapping. Sitting up from his tiny bed, Harry turned and looked to the window, reaching over to let in the agitated Hedwig whom tapped persistently at the glass.  
  
She flew in and deposited the letters with her on his bed before retreating to her cage, dipping her beak thirstily into her water dish.  
  
Harry sat down at his desk after picking up his letters off the bed. Opening the first, he wasn't surprised to see that it was a letter from Hogwarts including a list of supplies and books that he'd need for his 7th and final year at Hogwarts. Setting the first letter aside, Harry picked up the second and flipped it over in his hands. Harry eyed the crimson wax seal on the letter curiously, his fingers probing the Hogwarts crest stamped into the cool wax seal.  
  
"Two letters from Hogwarts?" he thought, breaking the hardened wax seal with the edge of his thumb.  
  
"Hope nothing bad has happened," Harry wondered, unfolding the parchment and spreading it flat on his desk to read it: center Dear Mr. Potter,  
  
During your last and final year here at Hogwarts, we are pleased to learn that we are to be receiving a new student amongst out 7th years.  
  
The reason we are contacting you is because you've been chosen to guide our new student about the school due to the fact that both your schedules are perfectly in sync (and because our new student is a Gryffindor, and will be joining you on the Quidditch team).  
  
Our new student is a girl by the name of Jessica Woodhead. You will be meeting Miss Patrolia on the train to Hogwarts in compartment 33D, which you will note has been reserved for only you two.  
  
Sincerely yours,  
  
Minerva McGonagall  
  
Deputy Headmistress /center  
  
Holding the letter before him, Harry looked over it again.  
  
"A new student? This should prove interesting," he smiled to himself as he leaned back in his chair, pressing his knees against the underside of the desk.  
  
Harry leaned forward over his desk and reached for a fresh leaf of parchment. Smoothing the roughly textured paper down, he reached for the raven feather quill that he'd bought on his last trip to Hogsmeade and dipped it into his ink well of emerald green ink. Finally he touched the tip of his quill to the parchment and began to write: center  
  
Dear Ron,  
  
Hi, how's it going? I got your letter earlier this week; you can come and get me as soon as you get this.  
  
Just got a letter from Hogwarts today. We're supposed to be getting a new student and I get to show her about the school. I'll tell you more when I see you again.  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Harry /center  
  
Dropping his quill back into the drawer of his desk, Harry briefly read back over his letter to Ron before he folded it up and called for Hedwig.  
  
"Take this to Ron," Harry instructed, holding the letter up for Hedwig to take it. Instead, the snow-white owl ruffled her feathers in an agitated manner.  
  
Harry rolled his eyes and groaned. "Please take this to Ron. Thank you," Harry spoke as sweetly as possible, but failed to hide the irritation in his voice. Now Hedwig took the letter, nipping Harry's finger as she did so before sailing out the open window while Harry promptly shut it behind her and returned to his bed.  
  
Reclining once more in his original position with the covers pulled back, Harry looked up at his ceiling and thought aloud.  
  
"Jessica Woodhead, hm? Well, we'll just have to see what happens," he rolled over and removed his glasses, placing them on his desk and switching off the light before covering himself and quickly drifting off to sleep. center  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ /center  
  
"Harry! Harry get up this instant!" Aunt Petunia screeched through the door, banging her fist against it like an angry toddler.  
  
Harry groaned loudly in response, rolling over and sitting on the edge of his bed.  
  
"What was that?" Petunia snapped, rapping violently on the door.  
  
"I'll be down in a minute!" Harry called back sleepily, pushing his glasses onto his face.  
  
Harry stood up and walked over to his closet to retrieve clothing to wear for the day. Upon opening the door to his closet, Harry's reflection stared back at him.  
  
Now 17 years old, Harry's face was very handsome by now. His black hair was still as messy as always, and his deep, emerald green eyes shone brilliantly. The lightning bolt scar on his forehead was still as prominent as ever through his raven-black bangs. Of course he'd grown taller, and he was still thin as ever, but now he was rather muscular because of all the Quidditch training he'd done through the years.  
  
Pulling one of Dudley's old shirts down over his head, Harry stepped into his jeans, and reluctantly opened the door.  
  
Downstairs at the kitchen table, Dudley and his equally gargantuan father sat, barely leaving any room for Petunia, let alone Harry himself.  
  
Carefully Harry squeezed into his place at the table, jumping only slightly at the loud iclank/i of his plate of eggs being slapped down on the table before him.  
  
"Eat!" Petunia snapped, wrinkling her nose at Harry and turning to her tremendous son with a sweet smile. "And how is my Duddy-kins this morning?"  
  
Dudley didn't reply, he only stuffed another forkful of eggs into his mouth, slurping loudly when some already in his mouth began to dribble back out.  
  
Impossible as it may seem, Dudley got even fatter through the years. Dudley was as big as Vernon by now, growing fatter by the second. Dudley still looked pink and round like a freakishly large beach ball of course, with little fat legs and arms protruding from it. Of course, since Dudley was so large, he used this to his advantage against people; especially Harry. During the summer, at various times during the day, Dudley wound slink stealthily - or as stealthily as a person Dudley's size can - about the house and spring at Harry to tackle him. More often than not, Harry was agile enough to avoid the squishy mass and would laugh when Dudley did a painful belly flop onto the floor. Normally Dudley would only attempt to attack Harry when Harry had a piece of food, which wasn't too often because Harry wanted to avoid confrontations with Dudley as much as possible.  
  
Eating breakfast at the table now, with shoulders hunched up defensively in attempt to keep Dudley from stealing his entire plate of food. The risk of being attacked by Dudley now was slimmer, but still held threat.  
  
Harry was nearly finished when a pudgy pink hand crept under his arm, grasped his plate and pulled it quickly away. Harry didn't really care, not only because he wasn't that hungry, but also because there was someone knocking at the door.  
  
"I've got it!" Harry called, leaping up from his chair.  
  
"Arghhhhh!" Harry screamed, Dudley's incredible weight crushing him in a tackle. Dudley got up, chuckling stupidly to answer the door, leaving poor Harry to pick himself up and hope nothing got broken.  
  
When Dudley swung the door open, he made a strangled high-pitched noise, and even from behind, Harry could see the color drain from his fat neck.  
  
"Harry!" Fred and George Weasley called in unison, peeking around Dudley, whose wideness hid the door. The twins pushed past Dudley, who squeaked and tore off as fast as his fat legs would carry him.  
  
"What's his problem?" Ron asked, following his brothers in the door. Ron had grown taller, his frame was much like Harry's but broader of shoulder, which was a good thing, because once the twins had left Hogwarts the previous year, Harry, Gryffindor's Quidditch Team captain, chose Ron to be one of their new beaters.  
  
"Remember the Ton Tongue Toffee you two," Harry motioned to Fred and George, whom had both grown a bit taller and more broad-shouldered, "tested on him? He's still a bit shaky on that."  
  
Fred and George laughed together, nearly falling to their knees with laughter. George reached into his pocket and pulled out a single wrapped candy.  
  
"Since then we've adjusted the potion for the Ton Tongue Toffee for our joke shop," George grinned at Harry, "So the swelling will go down in exactly ten minutes. Think we should shake him up a little more?"  
  
George gently tossed the candy into the middle of the hall and grinned. "So! Let's go get your trunk, Harry. Come on, Fred." The twins made their way upstairs, leaving Harry and Ron in the hall.  
  
"So, who is this girl that you're leading around this year? You know, all of your admirers will be jealous to see you with a girl." Ron teased with a smile and a glint in his eye.  
  
"Those obsessive younger years? Maybe then they'd give me some peace!" Harry sighed, shaking his head at Ron. "Her name is Jessica Woodhead."  
  
"When are you meeting her? Have you seen her yet? Tell me all you know about her!" Ron asked, smiling as Harry noted a smudge of dirt on the side of his nose.  
  
"I have no idea what she looks like, and all I know is that she's a 7th year, we have all our classes together, she's a Quidditch player, and she's in Gryffindor. As far as meeting her, McGonagall has arranged a private compartment for us on the train to Hogwarts."  
  
"A private compartment, 'eh? Just remember Harry, no sex on the train to school!" Ron winked, ducking to cover to himself when Harry swung at him.  
  
"And what makes you think we'd do that anyway?" Harry retorted, arching a brow to challenge him.  
  
Ron blushed slightly and opened his mouth to respond, but closed it again. As he was going to open his mouth once more, Fred and George came down the stairs with all of Harry's things.  
  
"Don't just stand there with your mouth wide open, Ron! Move out of the way!" Fred hollered, leading the way down the steps and out the door.  
  
"Got enough stuff, Harry?" George chuckled as he passed him.  
  
Harry plucked Hedwig's empty cage out of George's arms and called from the hall into the kitchen, "Ron Weasley just came. I'm leaving with them; they'll make sure I get to school."  
  
Listening for a response, all Harry heard was a loud grunt from Uncle Vernon. Harry shrugged his shoulders and walked out the door, shutting it behind him.  
  
A moment later, Dudley cautiously crept into the hall, looking about for any signs of the twins. Then, in the middle of the floor Dudley noticed a brightly wrapped piece of candy. Snatching up the treat, Dudley quickly unwrapped the toffee and popped it into his mouth greedily, chewing it u and chuckling stupidly.  
  
Suddenly, Dudley felt a tingling sensation in his tongue, then he felt it begin to swell rapidly, he let out a muffled scream, bringing his parents forth into the hall. Vernon yelled loudly in anger, while Petunia screamed, "Oh no! Not again!"  
  
Outside, loading Harry's trunk into the trunk o their normal, non- magical cat, Fred and George heard Petunia's screams. Turning to each other and grinning wildly, Fred and George slapped their hands together in a high five and climbed into the car, wide grins still plastered to their faces.  
  
Author's Note: This is only the first chapter, but there shall be more to come, trust me. Sound interesting so far? Please review it and give me your opinion! As far as the R rating, obviously nothing R rated has happened yet, but that shall come in time. New chapters should be coming shortly; don't fret! 


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